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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

In Other Words @ Prohibition Bar, Gateshead. November 12

Alex Thompson (alto saxophone & clarinet), Nathan Lawson (guitar) & Dylan Thompson (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Keith Thompson)
Saturday, Prohibition Bar, Gateshead. Sold out. A fundraising concert organised by Alex Thompson to help him raise funds to make the trip of a lifetime to India in July next year when he will be digging wells, building classrooms and making many lifelong friends in doing so. Alex, 16, plays alto saxophone and clarinet in Paraffernalia, Gateshead schools’ big band. Alex was joined on the gig by younger brother Dylan on drums and their friend Nathan Lawson, guitar. They call themselves In Other Words.
Song for My Father, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Bernie’s Tune, Come Fly with Me, Cry Me a River – and this just a selection from the first few tunes! These young men have assembled a pad of gigantic proportions and it continues to grow apace. Dylan, drum kit set-up on the small stage area behind the front line, looked the business in casual (no tie) jacket, Alex and Nathan seated out front, t-shirt order. Alex’s alto work indicated a firm grasp of the melody in question and Nathan’s rhythmic support impressed time and again, the bass lines particularly effective. At the back, Dylan, 14, played in the groove, a real prospect is D Thompson. Alex played some clarinet; Fats’ Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? the first of two numbers on his other, or ‘second’ instrument.

The audience, including David Blakey (Paraffernalia’s MD), listened intently, supporting three musicians of tomorrow. Drummer Dylan excelled on Jaco’s The Chicken, Nathan’s guitar intro set-up Fly Me to the Moon to which we all knew the lyrics…In Other Words! Their first set – one hour and ten minutes – couldn’t have gone much better.

Prohibition Bar’s proprietor has worked hard to make the Brandling Street speakeasy the successful venture it has become, the atmosphere made for the occasion. The trio stepped off the stage to take a well-earned break, mingling with family and friends. Young Dylan Thompson took charge of the raffle – is there no end to the young man’s talents?!

The second set opened with some good alto from Alex on All the Things You Are and the trio followed up with a spirited take on Scrapple from the Apple. They took a Slow Boat to China, insisted It Don’t Mean a Thing (they’ve got it!) with a fun round of fours, and Alex’s fluent alto on Bye Bye Blackbird caught the ear. How about Minor Swing? And a grooving Chameleon? The Zutons’ Valerie made it onto the set-list, not exactly the GAS book, but why not? It’s a good tune. The trio, Alex, Nathan and Dylan, 16, 15 and 14 had to be dragged off stage some one hour and twenty minutes later. They were having fun. A third set of tunes wouldn’t have been a problem. In Other Words said good night with the Sonny Rollins’ feel-good number St Thomas. A thoroughly entertaining evening, there is no doubt whatsoever that we will be hearing more from Alex, Nathan and Dylan.
YouTube clip.
Russell.
If you would like to know more about Alex Thompson’s World Challenge expedition, in the first instance please contact Bebop Spoken Here

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Hi Nathan's mam here, thankyou for coming and reviewing In Other Words it's good to hear they are going in the right direction. Nathan would like to be as good as his mentor one day, James Birkett.

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